Does Ivy League degree matters?

[swc12nap1]

To the professional pilots out there who got their undergraduate degrees (aviation or not aviation-related) from Ivy Leage schools or big-name schools like Stanford, Duke, UC-Berkeley, you name it, did that (if ever) influence in advancing your career? To those instead who came from regular universities but advanced fast or who think they are very successful, how did you attain where you are right now? No easy answer I know but answer as best as you can.

 

[mullet]

Absolutely not!!!

 

[banned username 2]

Nope... But you should get a Bachelor Degree... Don't stop at the Associates...

 

[Ty Webb]

The best advice is to get a degree in something marketable. Aviation is so cyclical, you will probably graduate into either a boom or a bust cycle . . . . and if itbecomes a bust cycle, and you have a degree in something marketable, you will be very, very glad you do.

Good luck.

 

[350DRIVER]

Does not matter at all.


3 5 0

 

[bart]

In flying, to might even hurt you to have Ivy League credentials. Outside of being a pilot, having a degree from the best college you can get into is a good idea. A large part of college is meeting people with different backgrounds and interests and making friends that will last a lifetime.

I can tell you that there have been several occasions for me that I heard about jobs (ouside of flying) and had a crack at them before anyone else because of people I knew from college.

As far as moving quickly along in an aviation career, generally, everyone is looking for experience. A degree may help, but they are much more interested in your experience and what former employers have to say about you. Aviation careers move at a pretty well defined pace. There are exceptions, some from luck and others from hard work, but I doubt any from having a degree from Duke or Stanford.

Degrees from big name schools can be helpful in the business world your first 5 years out of school, but that is about it. After that, it is your talent and skills that drive your salary. From my experience as a pilot, there are limited opportunities to drive revenue or reduce costs for the company you work for, and as such, limited opportunities to differentiate oneself and drive compensation.

 

[LJDRVR]

No, but good writing skills do!

"Does ivy league degree matters?"

or is it;

"Do ivy leage degrees matter?"

Just funnin' ya!

 

[Typhoon1244]

Re: No, but good writing skills do!

"Does ivy league degree matters?" ...or is it... "Do ivy leage degrees matter?"

Don't take any chances: "Does ivies leagues degrees matters?"

 

[Publishers]

only

Only to the person paying for the education

 

[BluDevAv8r]

I graduated from Duke in 1999. I don't think my alma mater had much to do with my getting hired at Continental Express or with my job as a CFI out in CA. I do believe however that a college degree helps (the area of study doesn't matter) more than not having one.

Personally, I chose Duke because it was the very best school that I was accepted to. It was definitely the right choice for me. I flew on the weekends and graduated with a degree in Economics and a CFI/MEI, etc. Sure, if I was going to become an investment banker or apply to law school, the "Duke" name might help but since I'm in the piloting profession at the moment, it hasn't helped much in my opinion. Nonetheless, I'm happy with my decision. I wouldn't trade that 4 years for anything. Heck, I'd have loved a 5th year!

I also view my education as a real safety net in case I am furloughed, lose my medical, or decide to pursue an opportunity outside of flying.

-Neal